JP7789797B2 - Suction device, substrate, and control method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a suction device, a substrate, and a control method.

Inhalation devices, such as electronic cigarettes and nebulizers, that produce substances to be inhaled by users are widely used. For example, inhalation devices generate aerosols imparted with flavor components using a substrate containing an aerosol source for generating aerosol and a flavor source for imparting flavor components to the generated aerosol. Users can enjoy the flavor by inhaling the aerosol imparted with flavor components generated by the inhalation device. The action of a user inhaling an aerosol is hereinafter also referred to as a puff or puffing action.

Typically, inhalation devices generate aerosol by heating a substrate. Because the quality of the user experience is significantly affected by the temperature to which the substrate is heated, technological developments are underway to achieve appropriate temperature control. Patent Document 1 below discloses a technology that controls the rate at which the heater heats up during the period from the start of heating until puffing becomes possible, based on the heater temperature at the start of heating.

International Publication No. 2019/186668

However, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 above has only recently been developed, and there is still room for improvement in various respects.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism that can further improve the quality of the user experience with suction devices.

In order to solve the above problem, according to one aspect of the present invention, an inhalation device is provided, comprising: a heating unit that generates an aerosol by heating a substrate containing an aerosol source; and a control unit that controls the operation of the heating unit based on a temperature setting that specifies the time series progression of a target temperature, which is a target value for the temperature of the heating unit, wherein the temperature setting includes a temperature rise period in which the temperature of the heating unit is raised from an initial temperature, which is the temperature of the heating unit at the start of heating, to a predetermined temperature, and the control unit controls the length of the temperature rise period based on the initial temperature.

The temperature rise period may consist of a first period of variable length and a second period of fixed length following the first period, and the control unit may control the length of the first period based on the initial temperature.

The control unit may shorten the first period as the initial temperature increases and lengthen the first period as the initial temperature decreases.

The control unit may change the length of the first period determined based on the initial temperature based on the temperature of the heating unit during the first period.

The control unit may terminate the first period and switch to the second period if the temperature of the heating unit at the end of the first period, the length of which is determined based on the initial temperature, reaches the predetermined temperature.

The control unit may extend the first period if the temperature of the heating unit at the end of the first period, the length of which is determined based on the initial temperature, does not reach the predetermined temperature.

The control unit may extend the first period, the length of which is determined based on the initial temperature, by a time corresponding to the initial temperature.

The control unit may stop operation of the heating unit if the temperature of the heating unit at the end of the extended first period has not reached the predetermined temperature.

The control unit may terminate the first period and switch to the second period if the temperature of the heating unit reaches the predetermined temperature before the end of the first period, the length of which is determined based on the initial temperature.

The suction device may be provided with a plurality of heating units, and the control unit may control the lengths of the first periods at the plurality of temperature settings corresponding to the plurality of heating units so that they are different from each other.

The control unit may make the first period for the temperature setting corresponding to the heating unit located upstream of the multiple heating units longer than the first period for the temperature setting corresponding to the heating unit located downstream.

The control unit may control the operation of the heating unit so as to raise the temperature of the heating unit from the initial temperature to the predetermined temperature during the first period, and to maintain the temperature of the heating unit at the predetermined temperature during the second period.

The heating period may be the period from the start of heating to the time the user is able to inhale the aerosol.

The control unit may control the length of the heating period based on the temperature of the heating unit during the heating period.

The control unit may control the length of the heating period based on the elapsed time since the previous end of heating based on the temperature setting.

Furthermore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate containing an aerosol source that is heated by a suction device to generate the aerosol, the substrate comprising: a heating unit that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source to generate an aerosol; and a control unit that controls the operation of the heating unit based on a temperature setting that specifies the time series progression of a target temperature, which is a target value for the temperature of the heating unit, wherein the temperature setting includes a temperature rise period in which the temperature of the heating unit is raised from an initial temperature, which is the temperature of the heating unit at the start of heating, to a predetermined temperature, and the control unit controls the length of the temperature rise period based on the initial temperature.

Furthermore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method for controlling a suction device having a heating unit that generates an aerosol by heating a substrate containing an aerosol source, the control method comprising: controlling the operation of the heating unit based on a temperature setting that specifies the time series progression of a target temperature, which is a target value for the temperature of the heating unit; the temperature setting includes a temperature rise period in which the temperature of the heating unit is raised from an initial temperature, which is the temperature of the heating unit at the start of heating, to a predetermined temperature; and controlling the operation of the heating unit comprises controlling the length of the temperature rise period based on the initial temperature.

As described above, the present invention provides a mechanism that can further improve the quality of the user experience with the suction device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a suction device. 10 is a graph showing an example of the transition of the temperature of the heating unit when temperature control is performed based on the heating profile shown in Table 1. 10 is a graph showing an example of the transition of the temperature of the heating unit during a preheating period. 10 is a graph showing an example of the transition of the temperature of the heating unit when the length of the time variable period shown in Table 2 is controlled. 10 is a graph showing an example of the transition of the temperature of the heating unit when the length of the time variable period shown in Table 2 is controlled. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing executed by the suction device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a suction device according to a modified example. 10 is a graph showing an example of the transition of the temperature of the heating unit when the length of the time variable period shown in Tables 3 and 4 is controlled.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that in this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration will be designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

<1. Configuration example>
An inhalation device is a device that generates a substance to be inhaled by a user. In the following description, the substance generated by the inhalation device is described as an aerosol. Alternatively, the substance generated by the inhalation device may be a gas.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of a suction device. As shown in Figure 1, the suction device 100 according to this example configuration includes a power supply unit 111, a sensor unit 112, a notification unit 113, a memory unit 114, a communication unit 115, a control unit 116, a heating unit 121, a holding unit 140, and an insulating unit 144.

The power supply unit 111 stores power. The power supply unit 111 then supplies power to each component of the suction device 100 based on control by the control unit 116. The power supply unit 111 may be configured, for example, by a rechargeable battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery.

The sensor unit 112 acquires various information related to the suction device 100. As one example, the sensor unit 112 is composed of a pressure sensor such as a microphone capacitor, a flow rate sensor, or a temperature sensor, and acquires values associated with suction by the user. As another example, the sensor unit 112 is composed of an input device such as a button or switch that accepts information input from the user.

The notification unit 113 notifies the user of information. The notification unit 113 is composed of, for example, a light-emitting device that emits light, a display device that displays images, a sound output device that outputs sound, or a vibration device that vibrates.

The memory unit 114 stores various information for the operation of the suction device 100. The memory unit 114 is composed of a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory.

The communication unit 115 is a communication interface capable of performing communication in accordance with any wired or wireless communication standard. Such communication standards may include, for example, Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

The control unit 116 functions as a processing unit and control device, and controls the overall operation of the suction device 100 in accordance with various programs. The control unit 116 is realized by electronic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a microprocessor.

The holding part 140 has an internal space 141 and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150 while accommodating a portion of the stick-shaped substrate 150 in the internal space 141. The holding part 140 has an opening 142 that connects the internal space 141 to the outside, and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 through the opening 142. For example, the holding part 140 is a cylindrical body with the opening 142 and bottom part 143 as its bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141. The holding part 140 also has the function of defining a flow path for air supplied to the stick-shaped substrate 150. An air inlet, which is the entrance for air to this flow path, is located, for example, in the bottom part 143. On the other hand, an air outlet, which is the exit for air from this flow path, is the opening 142.

The stick-shaped substrate 150 includes a substrate portion 151 and a suction mouth portion 152. The substrate portion 151 includes an aerosol source. Note that in this configuration example, the aerosol source is not limited to a liquid and may be a solid. When the stick-shaped substrate 150 is held by the holder 140, at least a portion of the substrate portion 151 is contained in the internal space 141, and at least a portion of the suction mouth portion 152 protrudes from the opening 142. When a user holds the suction mouth portion 152 protruding from the opening 142 in their mouth and inhales, air flows into the internal space 141 through an air inlet hole (not shown) and reaches the user's mouth along with the aerosol generated from the substrate portion 151.

The heating unit 121 generates aerosol by heating the aerosol source and atomizing the aerosol source. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the heating unit 121 is configured in a film shape and is arranged to cover the outer periphery of the holding unit 140. When the heating unit 121 generates heat, the substrate unit 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 is heated from the outer periphery, generating aerosol. The heating unit 121 generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 111. As an example, power may be supplied when the sensor unit 112 detects that the user has started inhaling and/or that predetermined information has been input. Power supply may be stopped when the sensor unit 112 detects that the user has stopped inhaling and/or that predetermined information has been input.

The insulating section 144 prevents heat transfer from the heating section 121 to other components. For example, the insulating section 144 is made of vacuum insulation material, aerogel insulation material, or the like.

The above describes an example configuration of the suction device 100. Of course, the configuration of the suction device 100 is not limited to the above, and various configurations are possible, as exemplified below.

As one example, the heating unit 121 may be configured in a blade shape and arranged to protrude from the bottom 143 of the holding unit 140 into the internal space 141. In this case, the blade-shaped heating unit 121 is inserted into the substrate 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 and heats the substrate 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 from the inside. As another example, the heating unit 121 may be arranged to cover the bottom 143 of the holding unit 140. Furthermore, the heating unit 121 may be configured as a combination of two or more of a first heating unit covering the outer periphery of the holding unit 140, a blade-shaped second heating unit, and a third heating unit covering the bottom 143 of the holding unit 140.

As another example, the holding unit 140 may include an opening/closing mechanism such as a hinge that opens and closes a portion of the outer shell that forms the internal space 141. The holding unit 140 may then clamp the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 by opening and closing the outer shell. In this case, the heating unit 121 may be provided at the clamping location in the holding unit 140, and may heat the stick-shaped substrate 150 while pressing it.

Furthermore, the means for atomizing the aerosol source is not limited to heating by the heating unit 121. For example, the means for atomizing the aerosol source may be induction heating.

Here, the inhalation device 100 and the stick-shaped substrate 150 work together to generate an aerosol that is inhaled by the user. Therefore, the combination of the inhalation device 100 and the stick-shaped substrate 150 may be considered an aerosol generation system.

<2. Technical Features>
(1) Heating Profile The control unit 116 controls the operation of the heating unit 121 based on the temperature setting. The control of the operation of the heating unit 121 is achieved by controlling the power supply from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121. The temperature setting is information that defines the time series transition of the target temperature, which is the target value of the temperature of the heating unit 121. Hereinafter, such a temperature setting is also referred to as a heating profile.

The control unit 116 controls the temperature of the heating unit 121 so that the temperature (hereinafter also referred to as the actual temperature) of the heating unit 121 changes in accordance with the target temperature defined in the heating profile. The heating profile is typically designed to optimize the flavor experienced by the user when the user inhales the aerosol generated from the stick-shaped substrate 150. Therefore, by controlling the power supply to the heating unit 121 based on the heating profile, the flavor experienced by the user can be optimized.

The heating profile includes one or more combinations of a target temperature and information indicating the timing by which the target temperature should be reached. The control unit 116 controls the temperature of the heating unit 121 by switching the target temperature depending on the elapsed time since heating based on the heating profile began. Specifically, the control unit 116 controls the temperature of the heating unit 121 based on the deviation between the current actual temperature and the target temperature corresponding to the elapsed time since heating based on the heating profile began. Temperature control of the heating unit 121 can be achieved, for example, by known feedback control. Feedback control may be, for example, PID (Proportional-Integral-Differential) control. The control unit 116 can supply power from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121 in the form of pulses modulated by pulse width modulation (PWM) or pulse frequency modulation (PFM). In this case, the control unit 116 can control the temperature of the heating unit 121 by adjusting the duty ratio or frequency of the power pulses during feedback control. Alternatively, the control unit 116 may perform simple on/off control in the feedback control. For example, the control unit 116 may perform heating by the heating unit 121 until the actual temperature reaches the target temperature, stop heating by the heating unit 121 when the actual temperature reaches the target temperature, and perform heating by the heating unit 121 again when the actual temperature becomes lower than the target temperature. Alternatively, the control unit 116 may adjust the voltage in the feedback control.

The temperature of the heating unit 121 can be quantified, for example, by measuring or estimating the electrical resistance of the heating unit 121 (more precisely, the heating resistor that constitutes the heating unit 121). This is because the electrical resistance of the heating resistor changes depending on the temperature. The electrical resistance of the heating resistor can be estimated, for example, by measuring the amount of voltage drop across the heating resistor. The amount of voltage drop across the heating resistor can be measured by a voltage sensor that measures the potential difference applied to the heating resistor. In another example, the temperature of the heating unit 121 can be measured by a temperature sensor such as a thermistor installed near the heating unit 121.

The period from the start to the end of the process of generating aerosol using the stick-shaped substrate 150 is also referred to as a heating session below. In other words, a heating session is a period during which power supply to the heating unit 121 is controlled based on the heating profile. The start of a heating session is the timing when heating based on the heating profile begins. The end of a heating session is the timing when a sufficient amount of aerosol is no longer generated. A heating session includes a pre-heating period in the first half and a puffable period in the second half. The puffable period is the period during which a sufficient amount of aerosol is expected to be generated. The pre-heating period is the period from the start of heating to the start of the puffable period. Heating performed during the pre-heating period is also referred to as pre-heating.

The heating profile may include multiple periods in which different target temperatures are set. The temperature may be controlled to reach the target temperature set for a certain period at any time during that period, or may be controlled to reach the temperature at the end of that period. In either case, it is possible to change the temperature of the heating unit 121 in the same way as the target temperature specified in the heating profile changes.

An example of a heating profile is shown in Table 1 below.

The temperature change of the heating unit 121 when the control unit 116 performs temperature control according to the heating profile shown in Table 1 will be explained with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a graph showing an example of the temperature change of the heating unit 121 when temperature control is performed based on the heating profile shown in Table 1. The horizontal axis of this graph is time (seconds). The vertical axis of this graph is the temperature of the heating unit 121. Line 21 in this graph shows the temperature change of the heating unit 121. As shown in Figure 2, the temperature of the heating unit 121 changes in the same way as the target temperature specified in the heating profile.

As shown in Table 1, the heating profile begins with an initial heating period. The initial heating period is the period during which the temperature of the heating section 121 rises from the initial temperature. The initial temperature is the temperature of the heating section 121 at the start of heating. As shown in Figure 2, during the initial heating period, the temperature of the heating section 121 reaches 310°C 17 seconds after the start of heating and is maintained at 310°C for 35 seconds after the start of heating. This is expected to allow the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150 to reach a temperature at which a sufficient amount of aerosol is generated. By quickly raising the temperature to 310°C immediately after the start of heating, it is possible to end preheating early and start the puffable period early. Note that although the initial heating period and the preheating period coincide in Figure 2, they do not have to coincide.

As shown in Table 1, the heating profile includes an intermediate temperature-reducing period after the initial temperature-rising period. The intermediate temperature-reducing period is a period during which the temperature of the heating unit 121 decreases. As shown in FIG. 2, during the intermediate temperature-reducing period, the temperature of the heating unit 121 decreases from 310°C to 260°C between 35 and 45 seconds after heating begins. During this period, power supply to the heating unit 121 may be stopped. Even in this case, a sufficient amount of aerosol is generated due to the residual heat of the heating unit 121 and the stick-shaped substrate 150. If the heating unit 121 is maintained at a high temperature, the aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 150 may be rapidly consumed, which may result in flavor degradation, such as an overpowering flavor experienced by the user. In this regard, providing an intermediate temperature-reducing period midway through the puffing process can avoid such flavor degradation and improve the quality of the user's puffing experience.

As shown in Table 1, the heating profile includes a reheating period after the intermediate temperature drop period. The reheating period is the period during which the temperature of the heating unit 121 increases. As shown in FIG. 2, during the reheating period, the temperature of the heating unit 121 increases from 260°C to 290°C between 45 and 180 seconds after the start of heating and remains at 290°C until 260 seconds after the start of heating. If the temperature of the heating unit 121 continues to drop, the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150 also drops, reducing the amount of aerosol generated and potentially degrading the flavor experienced by the user. Furthermore, as the heating profile progresses, the remaining amount of aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 150 decreases, which tends to decrease the amount of aerosol generated even when heating is continued at the same temperature. In this regard, by increasing the amount of aerosol generated by raising the temperature again in the latter half of the heating profile, the decrease in the amount of aerosol generated due to the decrease in the remaining amount of aerosol source can be compensated for. This makes it possible to prevent degradation of the flavor experienced by the user, even in the latter half of the heating profile.

As shown in Table 1, the heating profile includes a heating end period at the end. The heating end period is a period after the reheating period during which heating is not performed. A target temperature does not need to be set. As shown in Figure 2, the temperature of the heating element 121 begins to decrease after 260 seconds from the start of heating. Power supply to the heating element 121 may be terminated 260 seconds from the start of heating. Even in this case, a sufficient amount of aerosol will be generated for a while due to the residual heat of the heating element 121 and the stick-shaped substrate 150. In the example shown in Figure 2, the puffable period, i.e., the heating session, ends 270 seconds from the start of heating.

The user may be notified of the start and end times of the puffable period. Furthermore, the user may be notified of the timing a predetermined time before the end of the puffable period (for example, the timing when power supply to the heating unit 121 ends). In this case, the user can refer to such notification to puff during the puffable period.

(2) Relationship Between Initial Temperature of Heating Unit 121 and Preheating Some users engage in chain smoking. Chain smoking is the act of using multiple stick-type substrates 150 consecutively at short intervals. When chain smoking is performed, heating of the next stick-type substrate 150 may begin while heat from the previous use of the stick-type substrate 150 remains in the heating unit 121. In this case, there is a risk that the stick-type substrate 150 may be excessively heated during the preheating period, resulting in inconvenience such as delivering an inferior flavor to the user during the puffable period.

On the other hand, when the ambient temperature is low, it is possible that the temperature may start rising from an initial temperature lower than normal. In this case, the stick-shaped substrate 150 may not be sufficiently heated during the pre-heating period, which could result in inconveniences such as delivering an inferior flavor to the user during the puffing period.

The suction device 100 according to this embodiment controls the length of the preheating period according to the initial temperature of the heating unit 121. This configuration makes it possible to prevent the above-mentioned inconveniences caused by excessive or insufficient preheating due to high or low initial temperatures.

(3) Control Based on the Initial Temperature of the Heating Unit 121 The control unit 116 controls the length of the temperature-raising period, included in the heating profile, for raising the temperature of the heating unit 121 from the initial temperature to a predetermined temperature, based on the initial temperature, which is the temperature of the heating unit 121 at the start of heating. The control unit 116 acquires the initial temperature at the start of heating and then periodically acquires the temperature of the heating unit 121 to perform this control. The predetermined temperature is a temperature at which a sufficient amount of aerosol is expected to be generated when the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150 reaches this temperature. Hereinafter, this predetermined temperature will also be referred to as the first target temperature. With this configuration, the length of the temperature-raising period is controlled according to the initial temperature, making it possible to prevent inconveniences caused by high or low initial temperatures.

The heating period, the length of which is controlled based on the initial temperature of the heating unit 121, is the period from the start of heating until the user is able to inhale the aerosol. In other words, the heating period is the pre-heating period. The first target temperature is the target temperature during the pre-heating period (e.g., the initial heating period). By controlling the length of the pre-heating period according to the initial temperature, it is possible to prevent inconveniences caused by excessive or insufficient pre-heating due to high or low initial temperatures.

Control of the length of the preheating period will be explained with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a graph showing an example of the temperature change of the heating section 121 during the preheating period. The horizontal axis of this graph is time (seconds). The vertical axis of this graph is the temperature of the heating section 121. Line 31 in this graph shows the temperature change of the heating section 121.

As shown in FIG. 3, the preheating period consists of a time-variable period, the length of which is variable, and a time-fixed period, the length of which is fixed, that follows the time-variable period. The time-variable period is an example of a first period in this embodiment. The time-fixed period is an example of a second period in this embodiment. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the length of the time-variable period is 17 seconds. The length of the time-fixed period is 18 seconds.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the control unit 116 controls the operation of the heating unit 121 to raise the temperature of the heating unit 121 from the initial temperature to the first target temperature during the time-variable period, and to maintain the temperature of the heating unit 121 at the first target temperature during the fixed-time period. In the example shown in FIG. 3 , the first target temperature is 310°C. The stick-shaped substrate 150 may contain moisture. If a stick-shaped substrate 150 containing moisture is heated to a high temperature, excessively hot aerosol may be generated. To prevent the user from inhaling excessively hot aerosol, it is desirable to evaporate the moisture contained in the stick-shaped substrate 150 during the pre-heating period. In this regard, according to the present embodiment, by providing a sufficient period during which the temperature of the heating unit 121 is maintained at a high temperature such as the first target temperature, it is possible to reliably evaporate the moisture contained in the stick-shaped substrate 150 during the pre-heating period.

The control unit 116 controls the length of the preheating period based on the initial temperature of the heating unit 121, and thus controls the length of the time-variable period based on the initial temperature of the heating unit 121. This configuration makes it possible to prevent inconveniences caused by excessive or insufficient preheating due to high or low initial temperatures, while maintaining a fixed time period to ensure evaporation of the moisture contained in the stick-shaped substrate 150.

Specifically, the control unit 116 shortens the time-variable period as the initial temperature of the heating unit 121 increases, and lengthens the time-variable period as the initial temperature of the heating unit 121 decreases. For example, the memory unit 114 stores a table, shown in Table 2 below, that specifies the control details for the length of the time-variable period in the heating profile. The control unit 116 then references the table shown in Table 2 and determines the length of the time-variable period to correspond to the initial temperature of the heating unit 121. With this configuration, if the initial temperature is high, the time-variable period can be shortened to prevent excessive temperature rise. On the other hand, if the initial temperature is low, the time-variable period can be lengthened to prevent insufficient temperature rise.

Figure 4 is a graph showing an example of the temperature progression of the heating unit 121 when the length of the time-variable period shown in Table 2 is controlled. The horizontal axis of this graph is time (seconds). The vertical axis of this graph is the temperature of the heating unit 121. Line 32 in this graph shows the temperature progression of the heating unit 121. In the example shown in this graph, the initial temperature was 160°C, so the length of the time-variable period was shortened to 8 seconds. Therefore, at the end of the time-variable period, the temperature of the heating unit 121 reaches the first target temperature of 310°C, preventing excessive temperature rise.

The control unit 116 may change the length of the time-variable period determined based on the initial temperature of the heating unit 121 based on the temperature of the heating unit 121 during the time-variable period. That is, the control unit 116 may change the length of the time-variable period, which was initially determined based on the initial temperature of the heating unit 121, in real time based on the temperature of the heating unit 121. It is possible that the temperature rise rate of the heating unit 121 may be faster or slower than expected due to environmental influences such as air temperature and humidity. In this regard, this configuration makes it possible to more reliably ensure that the temperature of the heating unit 121 reaches the first target temperature during the time-variable period. This makes it possible to deliver an appropriate flavor to the user during the puffable period.

Specifically, if the temperature of the heating unit 121 reaches the first target temperature at the end of the time-variable period, the length of which is determined based on the initial temperature of the heating unit 121, the control unit 116 may terminate the time-variable period and switch to a fixed-time period. If the temperature of the heating unit 121 rises as expected, the temperature of the heating unit 121 will reach the first target temperature at the end of the time-variable period, the length of which is determined by reference to the table shown in Table 2. In such a case, by terminating the time-variable period and switching to a fixed-time period and maintaining the temperature of the heating unit 121 at the first target temperature, it becomes possible to deliver an appropriate flavor to the user during the puffable period.

The control unit 116 may extend the time-variable period if the temperature of the heating unit 121 at the end of the time-variable period, the length of which is determined based on the initial temperature of the heating unit 121, has not reached the first target temperature. It is possible that the rate at which the temperature of the heating unit 121 rises may be slower than expected due to environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. In this regard, this configuration makes it possible to more reliably ensure that the temperature of the heating unit 121 reaches the first target temperature. This point will be explained in detail with reference to Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a graph showing an example of the temperature progression of the heating unit 121 when the length of the time-variable period shown in Table 2 is controlled. The horizontal axis of this graph is time (seconds). The vertical axis of this graph is the temperature of the heating unit 121. Line 33 in this graph shows the temperature progression of the heating unit 121. In the example shown in this graph, the length of the time-variable period is determined to be 17 seconds because the initial temperature is 0°C. However, since the temperature of the heating unit 121 has not reached the first target temperature of 310°C at the end of the 17-second time-variable period determined based on the initial temperature of the heating unit 121, the time-variable period is extended by 10 seconds. As a result, at the end of the extended time-variable period, the temperature of the heating unit 121 reaches the first target temperature of 310°C, preventing insufficient temperature rise.

Here, the control unit 116 may extend the time-variable period, the length of which is determined based on the initial temperature of the heating unit 121, by a time corresponding to the initial temperature of the heating unit 121. For example, the control unit 116 may extend the time-variable period by a length corresponding to the length of the initial time-variable period determined based on the initial temperature of the heating unit 121. This is because it is believed that the longer the time-variable period, the greater the error between the temperature of the heating unit 121 at the end of the time-variable period and the first target temperature. With this configuration, it is possible to extend the time-variable period to an appropriate length.

If the temperature of the heating unit 121 at the end of the extended time-variable period has not reached the first target temperature, the control unit 116 may stop the operation of the heating unit 121. In other words, the control unit 116 may stop the supply of power from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121. If the temperature of the heating unit 121 has not reached the first target temperature even at the end of the extended time-variable period, there is a risk that some kind of malfunction has occurred in the suction device 100. In this regard, this configuration makes it possible to improve safety when using the suction device 100.

The control unit 116 may terminate the time-variable period and switch to a fixed-time period if the temperature of the heating unit 121 reaches the first target temperature before the end of the time-variable period, the length of which is determined based on the initial temperature of the heating unit 121. It is possible that the heating unit 121 may heat up faster than expected due to environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. In this regard, this configuration makes it possible to more reliably prevent the heating unit 121 from heating up beyond the first target temperature.

(4) Process Flow FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the process flow executed by the suction device 100 according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 6, first, the control unit 116 determines whether a puff request has been detected (step S102). A puff request is a user operation requesting the generation of aerosol. An example of a puff request is an operation on the inhalation device 100, such as operating a switch or the like provided on the inhalation device 100. Another example of a puff request is inserting the stick-shaped substrate 150 into the inhalation device 100. Note that the insertion of the stick-shaped substrate 150 into the inhalation device 100 can be detected by a capacitance-type proximity sensor that detects the capacitance of the space near the opening 142, a pressure sensor that detects the pressure within the internal space 141, or the like.

If it is determined that a puff request has not been detected (step S102: NO), the control unit 116 waits until a puff request is detected.

On the other hand, if it is determined that a puff request has been detected (step S102: YES), the control unit 116 acquires the initial temperature of the heating unit 121 (step S104). For example, the control unit 116 acquires the initial temperature of the heating unit 121 based on the electrical resistance value when a weak current is applied to the heating unit 121, or from a temperature sensor installed near the heating unit 121.

Next, the control unit 116 determines the length of the preheating period based on the initial temperature of the heating unit 121 (step S106). For example, the control unit 116 determines the length of the time-variable period of the preheating period by referring to the table shown in Table 2.

Next, the control unit 116 controls the operation of the heating unit 121 to perform heating based on the heating profile in which the length of the preheating period has been adjusted (step S108). For example, the control unit 116 starts supplying power from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121 based on the heating profile in which the length of the preheating period has been adjusted in step S106.

Next, the control unit 116 determines whether a termination condition has been met (step S110). One example of a termination condition is when the elapsed time from the start of heating reaches a predetermined time. Here, the predetermined time refers to the duration of the entire heating profile for which the length of the pre-heating period has been adjusted in step S106. Another example of a termination condition is when the number of puffs since the start of heating reaches a predetermined number.

If it is determined that the termination condition is not met (step S110: NO), the control unit 116 waits until the termination condition is met.

If it is determined that the termination condition is met (step S110: YES), the control unit 116 terminates heating based on the heating profile (step S112). Specifically, the control unit 116 terminates the supply of power from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121. The process then terminates.

3. Modified Examples
In the above embodiment, an example in which the inhalation device 100 includes one heating unit 121 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to such an example. The inhalation device 100 may include multiple heating units 121. In this case, the control unit 116 controls the lengths of the time-variable periods at multiple temperature settings corresponding to the multiple heating units 121 so that they are different from each other. The multiple heating units 121 heat different portions of the stick-shaped substrate 150. In this regard, with this configuration, it is possible to heat each portion of the stick-shaped substrate 150 at an appropriate temperature rise rate. This makes it possible to deliver a more appropriate flavor to the user.

Each of the multiple heating units 121 is arranged at a different position in the direction in which the stick-shaped substrate 150 is inserted. For example, the multiple heating units 121 may be arranged at different positions from upstream to downstream of the holding unit 140. "Downstream" refers to the side closer to the opening 142. On the other hand, "upstream" refers to the side closer to the bottom 143. When a puff is performed, an airflow is generated from upstream to downstream.

The control unit 116 sequentially increases the temperature of the heating units 121, starting from the downstream heating unit 121 and ending with the upstream heating unit 121. As an example, the control unit 116 may sequentially start heating the heating units 121, starting from the downstream heating unit 121 and ending with the upstream heating unit 121, or sequentially increase the temperature to the maximum temperature. With this configuration, the aerosol source is heated sequentially from the downstream to the upstream portions of the substrate unit 151, generating aerosol. If the upstream portion of the substrate unit 151 were heated before the downstream portion, the aerosol generated in the upstream portion could cool and condense as it passed through the downstream portion. In this case, the downstream portion of the substrate unit 151, which has not yet been heated, would become moist, potentially degrading the flavor experienced by the user when the downstream portion of the substrate unit 151 is heated. In this regard, with this configuration, the generated aerosol does not pass through the unheated portion of the substrate unit 151. Therefore, the unheated portion of the base material portion 151 is prevented from becoming wet, and it is possible to prevent deterioration of the flavor that the user enjoys.

In this case, the control unit 116 makes the time-variable period in the heating profile corresponding to the heating unit 121 located upstream of the multiple heating units 121 longer than the time-variable period in the heating profile corresponding to the heating unit 121 located downstream. For example, the control unit 116 makes the duty ratio of the power pulse applied to the heating unit 121 located upstream during the time-variable period smaller than the duty ratio of the power pulse applied to the heating unit 121 located downstream. This configuration can slow the temperature rise rate of the portion of the stick-shaped substrate 150 heated by the heating unit 121 located upstream. This prevents pain in the aerosol source caused by sudden temperature changes and prevents deterioration of the flavor experienced by the user. The points described above will be explained in detail with reference to Figures 7 and 8.

Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of a suction device 100 according to this modified example. As shown in Figure 7, the suction device 100 according to this modified example differs from the example shown in Figure 1 in that it has two heating units 121 (heating units 121A and 121B). Heating unit 121A is an example of a heating unit 121 arranged on the side closer to the opening 142, i.e., the downstream side. Heating unit 121B is an example of a heating unit 121 arranged on the side closer to the bottom 143, i.e., the upstream side. Below, we will mainly explain the configuration of each component of the suction device 100 according to this modified example that differs from the configuration described above, with reference to Figure 1.

The control unit 116 shortens the time-variable period the higher the initial temperature of the heating unit 121, and lengthens the time-variable period the lower the initial temperature of the heating unit 121. However, the control unit 116 makes the time-variable period in the heating profile corresponding to the heating unit 121B longer than the time-variable period in the heating profile corresponding to the heating unit 121A.

For example, the memory unit 114 stores the tables shown in Tables 3 and 4 below. Table 3 is a table that specifies the control details for the length of the time-variable period in the heating profile applied to heating unit 121A. Table 4 is a table that specifies the control details for the length of the time-variable period in the heating profile applied to heating unit 121B. The control unit 116 refers to Table 3 and controls the length of the time-variable period during preheating using heating unit 121A to a length that corresponds to the initial temperature of heating unit 121A. The control unit 116 refers to Table 4 and controls the length of the time-variable period during preheating using heating unit 121B to a length that corresponds to the initial temperature of heating unit 121B. As shown in Tables 3 and 4, when the initial temperatures of heating unit 121A and heating unit 121B are the same, the time-variable period during preheating using heating unit 121B is longer than the time-variable period during preheating using heating unit 121A.

Figure 8 is a graph showing an example of the temperature progression of heating unit 121 when the length of the time-variable period shown in Tables 3 and 4 is controlled. The horizontal axis of this graph is time (seconds). The vertical axis of this graph is the temperature of heating unit 121. Line 41A in this graph shows the temperature progression of heating unit 121A. Line 41B in this graph shows the temperature progression of heating unit 121B. In the example shown in this graph, since the initial temperature of heating unit 121A was 0°C, the length of the time-variable period in the heating profile applied to heating unit 121A was set to 17 seconds. On the other hand, since the initial temperature of heating unit 121B was 0°C, the length of the time-variable period in the heating profile applied to heating unit 121B was set to 67 seconds.

In the example shown in Figure 8, heating by heating unit 121B begins at the end of the time-variable period in the heating profile applied to heating unit 121A, but these timings may be different. Also, the lengths of the time-fixed periods are the same for heating unit 121A and heating unit 121B, but these may be different.

<4. Supplementary Information>
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can conceive of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the technical ideas set forth in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which the length of the time-variable period determined based on the initial temperature of the heating unit 121 was changed based on the temperature of the heating unit 121 during the time-variable period. However, the present invention is not limited to such an example. The control unit 116 may control (i.e., determine) the length of the pre-heating period based on the temperature of the heating unit 121 during the pre-heating period, in addition to or instead of the initial temperature. More specifically, the control unit 116 may control the length of the time-variable period based on the temperature of the heating unit 121 during the time-variable period, in addition to or instead of the initial temperature. For example, the control unit 116 periodically acquires the temperature of the heating unit 121 during the time-variable period. The control unit 116 may then terminate the time-variable period and switch to the fixed-time period when the temperature of the heating unit 121 reaches the first target temperature. This configuration also makes it possible to reliably ensure that the temperature of the heating unit 121 reaches the first target temperature during the time-variable period. This makes it possible to deliver an appropriate flavor to the user during the puffable period.

For example, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which the length of the preheating period was controlled based on the initial temperature of the heating unit 121, but the present invention is not limited to such an example. For example, the control unit 116 may control (i.e., determine) the length of the preheating period based on the time elapsed since the previous end of heating based on the heating profile, in addition to or instead of the initial temperature. In more detail, the control unit 116 may lengthen the preheating period the longer the time elapsed since the previous end of heating based on the heating profile. This is because the longer the interval between uses of the stick-shaped substrate 150, the lower the initial temperature is considered to be. On the other hand, the control unit 116 may shorten the preheating period the shorter the time elapsed since the previous end of heating based on the heating profile. This is because the shorter the interval between uses of the stick-shaped substrate 150, the higher the initial temperature is considered to be. This configuration also makes it possible to prevent inconveniences associated with excessive or insufficient preheating due to high or low initial temperatures.

The series of processes performed by each device described in this specification may be realized using software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. The programs constituting the software are stored in advance, for example, on a recording medium (more specifically, a non-transitory storage medium readable by a computer) provided inside or outside each device. Each program is then loaded into RAM when executed by a computer that controls each device described in this specification, and executed by a processor such as a CPU. The recording medium may be, for example, a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, flash memory, etc. The computer program may also be distributed, for example, via a network, without using a recording medium.

Furthermore, the processes described using flowcharts and sequence diagrams in this specification do not necessarily have to be performed in the order shown. Some processing steps may be performed in parallel. Furthermore, additional processing steps may be employed, and some processing steps may be omitted.

The following configurations also fall within the technical scope of the present invention.
(1)
a heating section that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source to generate an aerosol;
a control unit that controls the operation of the heating unit based on a temperature setting that defines a time series transition of a target temperature that is a target value of the temperature of the heating unit;
Equipped with
the temperature setting includes a temperature rise period in which the temperature of the heating unit is raised from an initial temperature, which is the temperature of the heating unit at the start of heating, to a predetermined temperature;
The control unit controls the length of the temperature rise period based on the initial temperature.
Suction device.
(2)
the temperature rise period comprises a first period having a variable length and a second period following the first period and having a fixed length;
The control unit controls the length of the first period based on the initial temperature.
The suction device described in (1) above.
(3)
the control unit shortens the first period as the initial temperature increases, and lengthens the first period as the initial temperature decreases;
The suction device described in (2) above.
(4)
the control unit changes the length of the first period determined based on the initial temperature, based on the temperature of the heating unit during the first period.
The suction device according to (2) or (3) above.
(5)
the control unit ends the first period and switches to the second period when the temperature of the heating unit at the end of the first period, the length of which is determined based on the initial temperature, has reached the predetermined temperature.
The suction device described in (4) above.
(6)
the control unit extends the first period when the temperature of the heating unit at the end of the first period, the length of which is determined based on the initial temperature, has not reached the predetermined temperature.
The suction device according to (4) or (5) above.
(7)
the control unit extends the first period, the length of which is determined based on the initial temperature, by a time period corresponding to the initial temperature.
The suction device described in (6) above.
(8)
the control unit stops the operation of the heating unit when the temperature of the heating unit at the end of the extended first period has not reached the predetermined temperature.
The suction device according to (6) or (7) above.
(9)
the control unit, when the temperature of the heating unit reaches the predetermined temperature before the end of the first period, the length of which is determined based on the initial temperature, ends the first period and switches to the second period.
The suction device according to any one of (4) to (8).
(10)
the suction device includes a plurality of the heating units,
the control unit controls the lengths of the first periods at the plurality of temperature settings corresponding to the plurality of heating units so that the lengths of the first periods are different from each other.
The suction device according to any one of (2) to (9).
(11)
the control unit sets the first period in the temperature setting corresponding to the heating unit arranged on the upstream side among the plurality of heating units to be longer than the first period in the temperature setting corresponding to the heating unit arranged on the downstream side.
The suction device according to (10) above.
(12)
the control unit controls the operation of the heating unit so as to increase the temperature of the heating unit from the initial temperature to the predetermined temperature during the first period, and to maintain the temperature of the heating unit at the predetermined temperature during the second period.
The suction device according to any one of (2) to (11) above.
(13)
The temperature rise period is a period from the start of heating to the time when the user can inhale the aerosol.
The suction device according to any one of (1) to (12).
(14)
the control unit controls the length of the temperature rise period based on the temperature of the heating unit during the temperature rise period.
The suction device according to any one of (1) to (13).
(15)
the control unit controls the length of the temperature rise period based on the elapsed time since the previous end of heating based on the temperature setting.
The suction device according to any one of (1) to (14).
(16)
a heating section that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source to generate an aerosol;
a control unit that controls the operation of the heating unit based on a temperature setting that defines a time series transition of a target temperature that is a target value of the temperature of the heating unit;
Equipped with
the temperature setting includes a temperature rise period in which the temperature of the heating unit is raised from an initial temperature, which is the temperature of the heating unit at the start of heating, to a predetermined temperature;
The control unit controls the length of the temperature rise period based on the initial temperature.
A substrate containing the aerosol source that is heated by an aspirator to generate the aerosol.
(17)
A control method for controlling a suction device having a heating unit that generates an aerosol by heating a substrate containing an aerosol source, comprising:
Controlling the operation of the heating unit based on a temperature setting that defines a time series transition of a target temperature, which is a target value of the temperature of the heating unit;
Including,
the temperature setting includes a temperature rise period in which the temperature of the heating unit is raised from an initial temperature, which is the temperature of the heating unit at the start of heating, to a predetermined temperature;
controlling the operation of the heating unit includes controlling the length of the temperature rise period based on the initial temperature;
A control method comprising:

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Suction device 111 Power supply unit 112 Sensor unit 113 Notification unit 114 Memory unit 115 Communication unit 116 Control unit 121 Heating unit 140 Holding unit 141 Internal space 142 Opening 143 Bottom unit 150 Stick-shaped substrate 151 Substrate unit 152 Suction nozzle unit

Claims (11)

a heating section that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source to generate an aerosol;
a control unit that controls the operation of the heating unit based on a temperature setting that defines a time series transition of a target temperature that is a target value of the temperature of the heating unit;
Equipped with
the temperature setting includes a temperature rise period in which the temperature of the heating unit is raised from an initial temperature, which is the temperature of the heating unit at the start of heating, to a predetermined temperature;
the temperature rise period comprises a first period having a variable length and a second period following the first period and having a fixed length;
the control unit controls the operation of the heating unit so as to increase the temperature of the heating unit from the initial temperature to the predetermined temperature during the first period and to maintain the temperature of the heating unit at the predetermined temperature during the second period;
the control unit controls the length of the first period based on the initial temperature, and if the temperature of the heating unit at the end of the first period has not reached the predetermined temperature, extends the first period by a length corresponding to the initial length of the first period determined based on the initial temperature of the heating unit.
Suction device. the control unit shortens the first period as the initial temperature increases, and lengthens the first period as the initial temperature decreases;
The suction device of claim 1 . the control unit ends the first period and switches to the second period when the temperature of the heating unit at the end of the first period has reached the predetermined temperature.
The suction device of claim 1 . the control unit stops the operation of the heating unit when the temperature of the heating unit at the end of the extended first period has not reached the predetermined temperature.
The suction device of claim 1 . the control unit, when the temperature of the heating unit reaches the predetermined temperature before the end of the first period, the length of which is determined based on the initial temperature, ends the first period and switches to the second period.
The suction device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. the suction device includes a plurality of the heating units,
the control unit controls the lengths of the first periods at the plurality of temperature settings corresponding to the plurality of heating units so that the lengths of the first periods are different from each other.
The suction device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. the control unit sets the first period in the temperature setting corresponding to the heating unit arranged on the upstream side among the plurality of heating units to be longer than the first period in the temperature setting corresponding to the heating unit arranged on the downstream side.
7. The suction device according to claim 6. The temperature rise period is a period from the start of heating to the time when the user can inhale the aerosol.
The suction device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . the control unit controls the length of the temperature rise period based on the temperature of the heating unit during the temperature rise period.
The suction device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 . the control unit controls the length of the temperature rise period based on the elapsed time since the previous end of heating based on the temperature setting.
The suction device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 . A control method for controlling a suction device having a heating unit that generates an aerosol by heating a substrate containing an aerosol source, comprising:
Controlling the operation of the heating unit based on a temperature setting that defines a time series transition of a target temperature, which is a target value of the temperature of the heating unit;
Including,
the temperature setting includes a temperature rise period in which the temperature of the heating unit is raised from an initial temperature, which is the temperature of the heating unit at the start of heating, to a predetermined temperature;
the temperature rise period comprises a first period having a variable length and a second period following the first period and having a fixed length;
an operation of the heating unit is controlled so as to increase the temperature of the heating unit from the initial temperature to the predetermined temperature during the first period and to maintain the temperature of the heating unit at the predetermined temperature during the second period;
controlling the operation of the heating unit includes controlling the length of the first period based on the initial temperature, and if the temperature of the heating unit at the end of the first period has not reached the predetermined temperature, extending the first period by a length corresponding to the initial length of the first period determined based on the initial temperature of the heating unit;
A control method comprising: